The present invention relates to an air conditioning or heating refrigerator assembly, particularly an air conditioning or heating refrigerator assembly for use in institutional kitchens. By xe2x80x9cinstitutionalxe2x80x9d kitchens is meant kitchens of the size used in restaurants, schools, etc.
Because of the large number of items of heat generating equipment, such as stoves and refrigerators typically in use, institutional kitchens are notorious for becoming overheated, particularly during hot weather. Such overheating is not only uncomfortable for those working in the kitchen but it causes problems with equipment located in the kitchen, particularly refrigerators which can quickly become overtaxed and under perform in such conditions.
Central air conditioning typically is used to cool the entire premises, and cannot be turned down far enough to properly cool the kitchen without causing discomfort in the remainder of the premises.
Due to limited or non-existent window space, window air conditioning units usually cannot be installed in such kitchens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,530, granted to the same inventor as the present invention, describes an air conditioning refrigerator having a cooling coil and blower located within a housing attached to the inside of the freezer compartment door with cool air flowing through apertures in the door. While such a device is suitable for cooling residential kitchens, it is inadequate to meet the needs of an institutional kitchen.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning or heating refrigerator assembly capable of at least partially cooling or heating an institutional kitchen without taking up valuable space.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning or heating refrigerator of the present invention is comprised of a refrigerator having an air conditioning or heating coil subassembly mounted thereon and a blower subassembly mounted thereon downstream of said coil subassembly substantially adjacent thereto and in air transfer communication therewith.
The coil subassembly, when adapted to provide cooling, is connected to a condensing unit by suitable conduits. Refrigerant is liquified in the condensing unit and pumped through the cooling coil of the cooling coil subassembly unit where it is vaporized and absorbs heat from ambient air passing over the cooling coils of said cooling coil unit. The vaporized refrigerant passes back to the condensing unit where it is condensed back into liquid refrigerant and recirculated through the cooling coil of the cooling coil subassembly.
The blower subassembly has a blower which pulls ambient air through the cooling/heating coil unit where the air is cooled or heated. The cooled or heated air is then blown by the blower through a duct to an air exhaust chamber located on the top of the refrigerator from which the cooled or heated air is blown through a diffuser grill to the atmosphere adjacent the refrigerator.
In a first embodiment of the present invention the air conditioning or heating coil subassembly and blower subassembly are both mounted on the back of the refrigerator.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning or heating coil and blower are both mounted on the top of the refrigerator.